Former Industrialisation Minister Henry Kosgei has been sued after he was accused of tricking farmers in a Ksh1.3 billion land deal.
A report by the Nation on Monday, June 7, indicated that 18 farmers belonging to the Kaptien Farmers Society are seeking compensation as well as repossession of the land.
It all began in 1994 in which the farmers argue that they were poised to be announced the new owners of the land estimated to be 449 acres in Nandi County.
They further noted that they had filed a suit seeking to be declared the owners of the land but the former minister allegedly tricked them into withdrawing the case.
In the suit, they had been directed to pay Ksh604,032 fees which they promptly did.
Kosgey is, however, alleged to have convinced the team to withdraw the suit on the premise that they would be allocated the parcel of land.
After withdrawal, they argued that they made losses when the parcel was given to a rival group known as Cheptililik Farmers Cooperative Society.
"On August 8, 1993, the commissioner of Lands requested Kaptien to pay Ksh360 to cover additional conveyance fees, registration and stamp duty, which they did.
"Kaptien had a total membership of 57 individuals plus their families living on the land in dispute as squatters," explained Kaptien in court papers.
In the court papers, the society further noted that the Cheptililik group invaded the land in 1972 from Nairobi and formed their outfit which was registered shortly after.
They claim that that new society (Cheptililik) then mocked them that they would lose the land despite paying the fees as ordered by the state.
That is when they sued for full ownership in 1994 before they got into a deal with the former minister.
